'He said it looks like a shrine. Cult like': 29-year-old dad forces his 16-year-old brother to remove all the posters from his room before his 6-year-old arrives

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 21, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

When you're a teenager, the posters in your room are like your identity. At that age, what you love is so important to who you are. You begin to define yourself by the movies, music, and shows you're interested in. When I was a teenager, I was nothing without all the "indie" music I loved. If you took away the posters from my bedroom wall, it would feel like you were trying to erase me. It may be a childish way to feel, but it's a real stage of development that most of us go through. So it's our job as adults not to scoff at it, lest we forget where we came from. 

Teenagers have it tough enough as is. Their hormones are making them feel crazy, school is the hardest it will probably ever be, and you're trying to figure out what kind of adult you're going to be one day. It's no wonder that this is the age when we have the most clashes with the older members of our family. If you've ever parented a teen, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 

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  • A teenage boy stands in a room decorated with posters.
    via Leroy Agholor

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • So when the teen in this story wanted to protect his posters from his prying family, it's only natural that he struck up a conflict with them. When his younger nephew was coming to stay with him, he had a lot to say about how he wanted his room to stay. Read on to see what happened. 

  • Am I in the wrong for not removing multiple "scary" posters from my room that my nephew is sleeping in?

    Ok so I (M16) got told today that my brother (M29) would be staying in MY ROOM overnight tomorrow with my nephew (M6), im already P my ED AT THIS because well its room, my mum is part of the older generation so according to her its perfectly. normal to give up your bed for a guest.
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • One thing about my room is that the walls are SMOTHERED in posters, like no gaps between jenga of different posters, banners, and post cards. I have a wall of 2000 post card of studio ghibli, 7 full size posters, 5 half size, 40 a5 pictures of hozier, and LOTS MORE general memorabilia from bands and shows.
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • I have 3 posters stapled to my ceiling, one of which is ryuk from death note (look him up), hes creepy as he is a demon i will admit, and my brother asked "oh can you just take it down for the night" i say "no sorry its stapled and i don't want to damage it and put it back up" and he is NOT PLEASED having a go at me and
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • saying "you would have been scared at his age to". I dont see how thats my problem. I dont want them in my room AT ALL im not ripping down a permanent poster for people i dont want in my room.
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • BUT IT GETS WORSE. I mentioned the 40 a5 pictures of hozier before. He wanted me to take them down. He said "its looks like a shrine. Cult like. Its gonna scare him take it down" Atp im not listening to a word he says. But like am i in the wrong for this? I dont feel like i am but my mum is calling me unreasonable
    via u/Advanced-Light317

  • Commenters came in with ideas and opinions.

    Orion-Key3996 • 13h ago NTA. But, maybe a simple roll of brown package paper pinned over them would ensure he doesn't damage them and that they don't get taken down. Or you could use wrapping paper. Not ideal but would be kind.
    via u/Orion-Key3996
  • oop_norf 14h ago . my mum is part of the older generation so according to her its perfectly normal to give up your bed for a guest Who's stopping her? If she wants to give up her bed for a guest she can.
    via u/oop_norf
  • A teenage bedroom decorated with music posters.
    via Stella St. Clair
  • You're NTA for being upset about the blatant disrespect for your space, your possessions and for you as a person.
    via u/oop_norf
  • HereFromFB • 14h ago You should probably be prepared for him to take the posters down himself..
    via u/HereFromFB
  • capn_ginger • 13h ago . NTA. But I'd be worried about your brother ripping them down himself. Maybe get a couple of pads of Post-Its and go nuts, temporarily cover up whatever he finds so offensive, just to keep him from damaging your stuff.
    via u/capn_ginger
  • IAMSDM 14h ago Tell bro to bring a tent and set it up in the room
    via u/IAMSDM
  • New-Cut-7702 13h ago Your brother is going to rip your posters off and your mom will say get over it.
    via u/New-Cut-7702
  • soap---poisoning 14h ago . I was always asked to give up my room to guests as a kid. It was annoying, but it was the best way to accommodate visiting relatives since we didn't have a guest room. It's not an uncommon occurrence.
    via u/soap---poisoning
  • As for the posters, maybe there is some kind of compromise that will protect your posters while protecting your nephew from disturbing images. Can you find a way to cover the posters, like maybe hang up bedsheets or paper in front of them?
    via u/soap---poisoning
  • All_Seeing_High • 14h ago NTA. GUESTS aren't allowed to dictate the conditions they stay under. Isn't the phrase 'beggars can't be choosers' common knowledge? Maybe dont impose on someone and your kid wouldn't have to worry about 'scary' pictures
    via u/All_Seeing_High
  • Fearless-Air-815 14h ago . NTA. I do like the suggestion of putting sticky notes over the scary parts. They won't damage your posters. That should be enough of a compromise.
    via u/Fearless-Air-815
  • CroakerFish9587 · 14h ago I recommend taking pics and explaining value of what is up so he doesn't just take it down himself and damage them. You may even want to talk to your mom.
    via u/CroakerFish9587
  • _ JustKaira · 14h ago NTA but this guy is 100% taking the posters down when he gets there if not asking your mother to do it first
    via u/_JustKaira
  • SheepPup 14h ago . NTA they are being completely unreasonable. It's not going to disturb your nephew to see pictures of a singer on a teenager's wall!! Posters and photos of singers are completely normal.
    via u/SheepPup
  • For ryuk on the ceiling what about a compromise? Put post it notes over his face so that the kid can't see it but you don't have to damage your poster
    via u/SheepPup
  • Draigwyrdd 14h ago • It's perfectly normal to give up a room to a guest, especially as a child. People have been doing this for a very, very long time. I did this a lot when I was a child and honestly, it was never a problem. It's temporary and if there isn't anywhere else to put the guest, it's also sensible.
    via u/Draigwyrdd
  • So I do think you're being a bit unreasonable on that part even though it's not ideal to give up your room for a few days. But it's unreasonable to ask you to take the posters down and that shouldn't be part of the conversation. You should not be required to adapt your room in any way - as long as it's clean and tidy, it comes as is and should stay as is.
    via u/Draigwyrdd
  • So it's an ESH situation in my opinion. You could be more gracious, your brother shouldn't ask for you to remove your posters, your mother could have found other arrangements.
    via u/Draigwyrdd
  • SQ_Madriel ⚫ 13h ago I get the frustration, but better YOU handle it than your brother does if/when you're nephew freaks out. Those will 100% get ripped off the walls.
    via u/SQ_Madriel
  • izanaegi 11h ago NTA, just cover them, but also '40 a5 pictures of hozier' is fckin CREASING me right now thats so funny?? are they all the SAME photo???
    via u/izanaegi

  • The original asker came in with an update.

    . We UPDATE: my nephew saw the poster and didn't give a f picked him and my brother up, came back to my house (well my mums house as may of you seem to care so much about property ownership), and i was given the job of babysitting/entertaining him for the rest of the day. Eventually the park gets boring, toys get boring, games get boring, so he askes to whatch youtube in my room. My
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • brother instantly goes "no there are scary pictures you wont like". This immediately peaked his intrest and went straight to my room, staring straight at the ceiling hes just like "oh thats cool". Turns out he literally plays cod zombies all day and has unlimited Internet access at 6. My brother was literally just trying to get under my skin and irritate me. Thanks to
    via u/Advanced-Light317
  • everyone for all the advice though! But i do think some people either disregarded ir just didn't care that the poster is on my ceiling, im 5'2 so it took me an hour, a pile of cushions, and a LOT of rage quiting to put them up in the first place. But none of that matters anymore :)
    via u/Advanced-Light317

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childcare teens aita movie poster kids teenagers posters moms parenting dad cute kids reddit thread parent Reddit raising kids Parenting Fail parents children Parenting FAILS
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